December 2017 – Only a handful of weeks stand before the leading live event and festival conference XLIVE touches down at its flagship city of Las Vegas for the 14th annual conference this December 10th – 13th. Today, XLIVE is highlighting the intersection of the rapidly expanding esports market with traditional Sports, and how to maximize these experiential events to deliver the best experience to fans and sports teams alike.

Encompassing panels, workshops, keynotes and fireside chats, this year’s program examines the current landscape of traditional sports and esports, major drivers of change and different strategies top companies are currently utilizing. An immersive educational experience, XLIVE’s Sports and Esports track will welcome representatives from the LA Clippers, Wasserman Media Group, Red Frog Events, Minnesota Super Bowl Committee, Populus and many more to discuss a wide variety of topics, including:

Beyond traditional sports, competitive gaming has emerged as the new frontier in entertainment, now earning around $1 billion in annual revenue. As the esports market grows into a blend of digital entertainment, interactivity, fandom, and spectacle, XLIVE offers an insider’s look into the burgeoning industry.

Building on the success of XLIVE’s Esports Summit held in NYC this past August, XLIVE will host an Esports Workshop during the three-day conference for mid to senior level execs currently involved or wanting to break into the market. Entertainment industry esports professionals, investors, owners and other top executives will convene for a comprehensive forum comprised of case studies, interactive roundtable discussions and informative panels with the goal of elevating the esports landscape to greater heights.

Steve Raizes will lead the Opening Keynote Fireside Chat for XLIVE 2017 as he shares his experiences and insights about growing Viacom’s experiential portfolio. From its roots in ad-supported touring models to extending Spike’s Lip Sync Battle from screen to stage to launching Comedy Central’s Colossal Clusterfest and beyond, Raizes will discuss how Viacom successfully utilizes strategic partnerships to create extraordinary live event experiences and breath new life into brands.

Also participating in a Fireside Chat-style talk is Kelly Markus, Vice President of Experiential Marketing at Refinery29, where attendees can learn about strategy in brand activations. Look out for more Fireside Chats taking place throughout the conference.

Each year XLIVE descends on Las Vegas, coalescing some of the world’s leading experts from every aspect of live event entertainment, to celebrate music, film, food and beverage, Esports, technology and the experiences that culminate at festivals and live events. Reflecting the passion of the vibrant community, XLIVE serves as a catalyst for curating unique, memorable and life-changing experiences within the growing, dynamic and influential realm of festivals and live events.

Join us in Las Vegas this December — Registration for XLIVE 2017 Las Vegas is AVAILABLE HERE and RSVP on Facebook to stay up to date.